Artificial rattan

ABSTRACT

An artificial rattan includes a thread of a plastic material having a base portion extending along the length thereof, and a plurality of wing portions extending along the length thereof and cooperating with the base portion to define at least one recess thereamong. At least one filament of a second plastic material is embedded in and extends along the length of the thread. The second plastic material has a tensile strength greater than that of the first plastic material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an artificial rattan, more particularly to an artificial rattan adapted for making a knitted web.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 illustrates how a conventional artificial rattan is made. The method of making the conventional artificial rattan involves melting the surfaces of two plastic threads 10, which are respectively drawn from two supplying rolls 11, using a heater 12, intertwisting the plastic threads 10 using a twisting device 13, cooling the inter twisted plastic threads 10 using a cooler 14 so as to form the artificial rattan, and winding the artificial rattan on a storing roll 15. The artificial rattan thus formed can be knitted for making a furniture or knitted into a web for making a cover for furniture, such as a seat or a back rest of a chair. In order to enhance the attractiveness of the knitted web, the conventional artificial rattan is formed by intertwisting the plastic threads 10 so as to have a helical structure which can impart a textured pattern to the knitted web. However, the conventional artificial rattan thus formed has a relatively high manufacturing cost due to the requirement of the heating and cooling operations and intertwisting of the plastic threads 10.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an artificial rattan that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.

According to the present invention, there is provided an artificial rattan for making a knitted web. The artificial rattan comprises: a thread of a plastic material having a base portion extending along the length thereof, and a plurality of wing portions extending along the length thereof and cooperating with the base portion to define at least one recess thereamong.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a manufacturing process for a conventional artificial rattan;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of an artificial rattan according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the first preferred embodiment in a twisted state;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the artificial rattan according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the second preferred embodiment in a twisted state;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the artificial rattan according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the third preferred embodiment in a twisted state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that same reference numerals have been used to denote like elements throughout the specification.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first preferred embodiment of an artificial rattan for making a knitted web according to the present invention includes: a thread 2 of a first plastic material having a base portion 21 extending along the length thereof, and a plurality of wing portions 22 extending along the length thereof and cooperating with the base portion 21 to define at least one recess 24 thereamong. Note that unlike the threads repeatedly crossing each other for making the conventional artificial rattan, the wing portions 22 are parallel to each other.

The artificial rattan further includes a plurality of filaments 23 of a second plastic material, each of which is embedded in a respective one of the base and wing portions 21, 22, and each of which extends along the length of the thread 2. The second plastic material has a tensile strength greater than that of the first plastic material.

In this preferred embodiment, there are two wing portions 22 and three filaments 23 integrally formed with the base portion 21. The thread 2 has a generally U-shaped cross-section.

Preferably, the filaments 23 are made from polyester, and the base and wing portions 21, 22 are made from PVC and are formed through injecting molding techniques. The thread 2 can be twisted so as to have a helical structure as illustrated in FIG. 3 and so as to form a helical recess 24, which can enhance attractiveness of the knitted web to be knitted therefrom. The wing portions 22 are parallel to each other along a helical length of the helical thread 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second preferred embodiment of this invention differs from the previous preferred embodiment in that there are two pairs of the wing portions 22 extending from the base portion 21 and that the wing portions 22 and the base portion 21 cooperatively define a pair of the recesses 24 that open in opposite directions. In this embodiment, only the wing portions 22 are provided with the filaments 23. In a similar way, the artificial rattan of this embodiment can be twisted so as to have a helical structure as illustrated in FIG. 5. Since two helical recesses 24 are formed in this embodiment, the knitted web knitted therefrom can have a more complicated textured pattern than that of the previous embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, the third preferred embodiment of this invention differs from the previous embodiments in that the base portion 21 is cylindrical in shape, and that there are four wing portions 22 radiating from the base portion 21 and angularly displaced. In this embodiment, only the base portion 21 is provided with the filament 23, and there are four recesses 24 are formed. In a similar way, the artificial rattan of this embodiment can be twisted so as to have a helical structure as illustrated in FIG. 7. Since four helical recesses 24 are formed in this embodiment, the knitted web knitted therefrom can have a more complicated textured pattern than those of the previous embodiments.

By forming the helical recess(es) 24 in the thread 2 of the artificial rattan of this invention, the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art can be eliminated.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. An artificial rattan for making a knitted web, comprising: a thread of a first plastic material having a base portion extending along the length thereof, and a plurality of wing portions extending along the length thereof and cooperating with said base portion to define at least one recess thereamong.
 2. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wing portions are parallel to each other.
 3. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one filament of a second plastic material that is embedded in and that extends along the length of said thread, said second plastic material having a tensile strength greater than that of said first plastic material.
 4. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of filaments of a second plastic material, each of which is embedded in a respective one of said base and wing portions, and each of which extends along the length of said thread, said second plastic material having a tensile strength greater than that of said first plastic material.
 5. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said thread has a generally U-shaped cross-section.
 6. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wing portions and said base portion cooperatively define a pair of said recesses that open in opposite directions.
 7. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base portion is cylindrical in shape, said wing portions radiating from said base portion and being angularly displaced.
 8. The artificial rattan as claimed in claim 7, further comprising at least one filament of a second plastic material that is embedded in said base portion and that extends along the length of said thread, said second plastic material having a tensile strength greater than that of said first plastic material. 